The Leader-News

WWCS shut out of title hopes

6/03/10 (Thu)

By Robyn Rohde, BHG News Service

If Kip Erickson had been told at the beginning of spring baseball season his young crew would be making a run at the region title, the veteran coach joked he might have laughed. During last week’s Region 8 Tournament, however, Erickson was happy to confess that the Washburn-Wilton-Center-Stanton finish of 20-10 and regional runner-up was something he would take. "I’m proud of these kids," Erickson said. The Cardinals, whose roster included only two seniors, battled through days of rain-delay, tough pitching and even tougher fielding during the tourney. In the end WWCS did not reach its ultimate goal of earning the bid to this week’s Class B State Baseball Tournament but it wasn’t without a fight, falling 4-0 and 2-0 to Shiloh Christian. After the tournament was postponed two days for wet field conditions, WWCS put themselves in the driver’s seat with an 8-3 win over region-favorite Central Prairie Wednesday. WWCS plated Jared Hruby on the distraction from Mitch Wachendorf stealing second in the top of the first. By the third inning Wachendorf was on again, using his speed to steal second base. Wendlin Berger cranked a double to deep left field for the RBI. Using the C-S junior’s keen awareness, he immediately stole third base. Then a wild pitch gave Berger the opportunity to steal home plate as the Cardinals went up 3-0.